Social Influence: Conformity & Obedience Psy 240; Fall 2006 Purdue University Dr. Kipling Williams . Psy 240: Williams 2 1 Classic Studies • Autokinetic Effect • Sherif’s studies of norm formation Psy 240: Williams 3 Classic Studies • Asch’s studies of group pressure ©William Vandivert Psy 240: Williams 4 2 Why Do We Conform? • Informational Influence – “Social Proof” -- if others think/behave that way, they must be right. • Normative Influence – The desire to “fit it,” or perhaps more important, to not be excluded/rejected • Mindlessness – A cognitive heuristic that allows us to do what others are doing without taking up valuable time and effort. • Do “non-conformists” not conform? Psy 240: Williams 5 When Do People Conform? • Group size • Unanimity • Cohesion • Status • Public response • No prior commitment ©PhotoFest Psy 240: Williams 6 3 Influences on Conformity Psy 240: Williams 7 Influences on Conformity Psy 240: Williams 8 4 Influences on Conformity Psy 240: Williams 9 A Not-So Classic Study • Social Inhibition (Petty, Williams, Harkins, & Latané, 1977: “Bystander Response to a Cheeseburger” • How are Conformity and Social Inhibition Similar? Free Cheeseb urger Psy 240: Williams 10 5 Classic Studies • Milgram’s obedience experiments Psy 240: Williams 11 When Don’t People Conform • Optimal distinctiveness (Brewer, 1991) – Feople seek affiliations with groups that enable them to maintain an ideal balance between the desires to fit in and stand out. – Feelings of belonging trigger attempts to individuate oneself, feelings of uniqueness trigger attempts to immerse oneself in the group. • When mate selection motives are strong – Cialdini, 2006 Psy 240: Williams 12 6 What Breeds Obedience? • Escalating Commitment • Emotional distance of the victim • Closeness and legitimacy of the authority • Institutional authority • The liberating effects of group influence © Stanley Milgram, 1965, From the film Obedience, distributed by the Pennsylvania State University Psy 240: Williams 13 Reflections on the Classic Studies • Behavior and attitudes • The power of the situation • The fundamental attribution error Psy 240: Williams 14 7 Social Impact Theory Latané, 1980 Multiplication Division Psy 240: Williams 15 8.